Sign construction



April 1950 J. A. HOWENSTINE 2,505,673

srcu cons'mucnon Filed April 26. 1949 I? m 7 E l,nn,l

JAMES A. HOWE/v5 TINE E g 2 INVENTOR.

Patented Apr. 25, 1950 2,505,673 SIGN CONSTRUCTION James A. Howenstine, Lima, Ohio, assignor to Neon Products, Inc., Lima, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application April 26, 1949, Serial No. 89,743

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a sign structure and more particularly relates to a hollow illuminated sign structure having an interior chamber for lighting fixtures and the like.

An object of this invention is to provide a hollow illuminated sign structure in which access can readily be had to the interior for servicing lighting fixtures.

A further object of this invention is to provide a sign structure having a hollow convex or outwardly facing shell, the entire face of which may be illuminated.

A further object of this invention is to provide sign structures that can readily and economically be constructed in large quantities from thermoplastic material.

A further object of this invention is to provide a sign structure having a pair of symmetrical hollow convex faces which may be fully illuminated.

A further object of this invention is to provide an illuminated sign structure of generally rectangular shape which includes a hollow translucent panel having an outwardly extending peripheral flange and a retainer or supporting body portion having a p ripheral slot formed from a pair of spaced flanges adapted to fit about and engage the flange of the panel, one of the flanges of the retainer being sectional and a part thereof being removable to permit the panel to be slid lengthwise of the slots to permit access to lighting fixtures mounted behind the panel.

The above and other objects and features will in part b obvious and will in part be apparent from the following detailed description and the drawing, in which:

Figure l is a view in side elevation, partly broke away and in section, showing a sign structure constructed in accordance with an embodiment of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in section taken along a line II-II in Fig. 1:

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view in section taken along a line III-III in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing a reinforcing corner piece of the illuminated sign.

In the following detailed description and the drawing, like reference characters indicate like parts.

In Figs. 1 and 2, a sign structure is shown which includes a pair of hollow bowl shaped panels In of translucent material held in spaced parallel relation by a supporting framework indicated generally at I 2. Each panel may be formed of transparent material, such as a methyl methacrylate resin or the like, having a coating of 'opaque paint.

translucent paint bearing appropriate sign. indicia, on the inner face thereof. Appropriate indicia may be painted on the inner faces of the panels either in translucent or relatively Each panel I is provided with an integral outwardly extending peripheral flange [3 which is engaged by a sectionalizedl marginal angle-shaped retainer l'I. Each panel may be given its coating of paint when in the shape shown in the drawings, or paint may be applied to a flat panel which panel thereafter is formed to the shape shown. The panels may be formed in the manner described in greater detail in the copending application of Samuel Kamin, Serial No. 102,403, filed June 30, 1949.

As shown in Fig. 1 the sign panels It) may be of substantially rectangular shape, and the framework l2 may be of hollow or annular shape and substantially the same size and shape in cross-section as the flange of each panel I0. The framework I2 is made from a band or strip of metal I4 shaped to form a rectangle having inwardly projecting peripheral flanges IS. The angle shaped retainers ll are attached to the band It adjacent the peripheral flanges [6, one flange l8 of each retainer element being attached to the back of the band I4 while the other flange l9 extends parallel to and spaced from one of the flanges [6 to form slots 20 between flanges l6 and I9. As shown in Fig. 2, the peripheral flange of each panel In flts into a slot 20.

Each of the angle-shaped retainers ll may be formed of separable sections 2| and 22 as shown in Fig. 1, and each section 2| may be of generally U-shaped designed to embrace the end of a sign panel l0. Sections 2| may be held in place by screws 23. When the screws 23 are removed, the U-shaped sections 21 can be removed from the sign and either or both of panels l0 may he slid lengthwise of the slots to give access to the interior of the hollow sign structure, the sections 22 forming rails in which the panels can be slid.

The framework l2 may be reinforced by cross braces 24 welded to opposite sides of each corner of the retaining framework l2. Each cross brace may be formed from a metal strip and, as shown in Fig. 4, includes a central portion 25 and angularly bent tips 25' which may be welded to the backing band M. A pair of tie rods 26 may extend diagonally across the interior of the sign structure being welded or otherwise firmly attached to the cross braces 24 and to each other. The sign structure may be supported by support arms 21 which are secured to a wall 28. As

shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the support members 21 are attached to upper and lower sides of the retainer l2 by appropriate bolts 29.

As will be understood, appropriate lighting flxtures, not shown, may be located in the hollow interior of the sign structure, and power leads for the fixtures may be threaded along the support bar and may enter the framework through any suitable aperture provided therein.

The structure shown is simple and economical to manufacture yet provides a pair of convex or relief panels which may be illuminated throughout their entire areas.

The embodiment of the invention described above and illustrated in the drawing is subject to modification in structural details without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as novel and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A sign structure which comprises a hollow substantially rectangular body portion having an open side, an inwardly directed peripheral flange about the open side, an elongated sectional angleshaped retainer, one flange of said retainer being attached to the body portion, the other flange of said retainer being parallel to and spaced from the flange of the body portion to form a peripheral inwardly directed slot about the open side of the body portion, and a translucent panel of dish shape having an outwardly extending peripheral flange adapted to flt in the slot, said retainer including a removable U-shaped portion about an end of the body portion, said panel being slidable lengthwise of said body portion when the U- shaped portion is removed to permit access to the interior of the body portion.

2. A sign structure which comprises a hollow substantially rectangular body portion having open sides, a pair of inwardly directed spaced peripheral flanges on said body portion, there being one flange adjacent the edge of each open side of the body portion, a pair of elongated angle-shaped retainers, there being one retainer on each side of the body portion, one flange of each retainer being attached to the body portion, the other flange of each retainer being parallel to and spaced from one of the flanges of the body portion, the flanges forming a pair of peripheral inwardly directed slots about the open sides of the body portion, and a pair of translucent panels of dish shape, each panel having an outwardly extending peripheral flange adapted to fit in one of said slots, at least one of said retainers including a removable U-shaped portion about an end of the body portion, one of the panels being slidable lengthwise of the body portion when the U -shaped portion is removed to permit access to the interior of the body portion.

3. A sign structure which comprises a hollow substantially rectangular body portion having open sides, a pair of inwardly directed spaced peripheral flanges on said body portion, there being one flange adjacent the edge of each open side of the body portion, four braces attached to said body portion, one of said braces being attached to each corner of the body portion, a pair of tension members attached to said braces, each tension member being attached to and extending between the braces at opposite corners of the body portion to reinforce the body portion, a pair of elongated angle-shaped retainers, there being one retainer on each side of the body portion, one flange of each retainer being attached to the body portion, the other flange of each retainer being parallel to and spaced from one of the flanges of the body portion, the flanges forming a pair of peripheral I inwardly directed slots about the open sides of the body portion, a pair of translucent panels of dish shape, each panel having an outwardly extending peripheral flange adapted to fit in one of said slots, at least one of said retainers including a removable U-shaped portion about an end of the body portion, one of the panels being slideable lengthwise of the body portion when the U-shaped portion is removed to permit access to the interior of the body portion.

4. A sign structure which comprises a hollow substantially rectangular body portion having open sides, a pair of inwardly directed spaced peripheral flanges on said body portion, there being one flange adjacent the edge of each open side of the body portion, four braces attached to said body portion, one of said braces being attached to each corner of the body portion, a pair of tension members attached to said braces, each tension member being attached to and extending between the braces at opposite corners of the body portion to reinforce the body portion, a pair of elongated angle shaped retainers, there being one retainer on each side of the body portion, one flange of each retainer being attached to the body portion, the other flange of each retainer being parallel to and spaced from one of the flanges of the body portion, the flanges forming a pair of peripheral inwardly directed slots about the open sides of the body portion, a pair of translucent panels of dish shape, each panel having an outwardly extending peripheral flange adapted to fit in one of said slots, at least one of said retainers including a removable U-shaped portion about an end of the body portion, one of the panels being slideable lengthwise of the body portion when the U-shaped portion is removed to permit access to the interior of the body portion and means attached to the body portion for suspending the body portion and panels with the panels substantially vertical.

JAIHES A. HOWENSTINE.

No references cited. 

